For twenty years they have seriously underestimated the need to invest in agriculture. The World Bank admitted this at the end of 2007. And the structural adjustment programmes of the International Monetary Fund have driven the most indebted countries, in the Sub-Saharan region in particular, into developing  cash crops for export and importing the food they eat. This liberalisation has made them vulnerable to price volatility.

However, it is now these same institutions which air their views on the food crisis in the international press. In addition, the Secretary General of the FAO also fails to exercise self-criticism on behalf of his organisation.

I believe we would do well in recalling that at the first World Food Summit, held in Rome 13th - 17th of November 1996, farmers had not been invited. Nevertheless the standpoint of the farmers and of 1200 civil society organisations is reported on the FAO web site, but under the heading “Parallel events” . As can be seen from the site, during the 5 days of the summit, the farmers (in charge of feeding the world !) and the civil society organisations were given the floor for as little as 4 minutes. However, their declaration remains very much up to date! I would encourage you to read the entire text “Declaration of the NGO Forum to the World Food Summit”. Here are some excerpts:

1.    “The capacity of family farmers, including indigenous peoples, women and youth, along with local and regional food systems, must be strengthened.

All aspects of food and agriculture must be reoriented in favour of family farmers. This should include  technical, managerial and financial support, credit and direct access to markets for farmers’ associations. It  should also include  greater emphasis on safe and sustainable urban agriculture.

Women play a central role in food security and must be guaranteed the right to productive resources and equal opportunities to use and develop their skills.

Resources must be shifted in favour of local and regional food producers and food systems. Investment resources should be made available through debt exemption and debt relief, through a reallocation of existing international cooperation and allocation of additional resources by rich countries, which should fulfil their commitment to appropriate 0.7% of GNP to public development assistance.

Family farmers must be assured access to information and communication systems.

3. Agriculture and food production systems which rely on non renewable resources with  adverse effects on the environment,  must be replaced by a model based on agro-ecological principles.

National and international research, education and extension services must be    reoriented to integrate agro-ecological principles, which incorporate the knowledge and experience of men and women farmers.

6. International law must guarantee the right to food, ensuring that food sovereignty takes precedence over macro-economic policies and trade liberalisation. Food can not be considered as a commodity, because of its social and cultural dimension.

Each nation must have the right to food sovereignty to achieve the level of food sufficiency and nutritional quality it considers appropriate without suffering retaliation of any kind. Market forces at national and international levels will not , by themselves, resolve the problem of food insecurity. In many cases they may undermine or exacerbate food insecurity.”

Finally, at a time when many refuse to evaluate international trade in farm and food products and merely suggest an increase in food aid, the NGO declaration  states:

”Structural food aid must be gradually replaced by support to local agriculture. When aid is the only alternative, priority should be given to local purchase and triangular aid, in which food is purchased in one country for distribution in the country of need in the same region

For a fuller understanding of Food sovereignty  the following documents may be helpful:

Food sovereignty according to the Via Campesina peasant movement.

Its relevance for West Africa: The Moundasso Declaration

And more recently The Nyeleni Declaration of 2006 by farmers from all over the world.

For further reading, see our “ Dossier sur la Souveraineté alimentaire ”.

Maurice Oudet

Director, SEDELAN

May 5th 2008